Walking mechanism for a doll

ABSTRACT

A mechanism including a support and two elements carried by the support for engaging the legs of a doll. The support carries a pivotable arm, and slots in the support and arm cross each other. A pin connected to each element passes through both slots, and the arm oscillates with respect to the support by engaging stationary abutments along the path of travel of the support. An upwardly concave guide surface on the support causes the elements to move along an arcuate path.

United States Patent Tepper et al. [4 1 June 27, 1972 [54] WALKINGMECHANISM FOR A DOLL 1,090,207 3/1914 Hardin ..40/ 106.36 X 1,439,640 121922 R m ..40 106.31 [721 Invent: Sidney TWP", Miubum; William 1,439,64112/1922 11821112.... ..40/1(;6.36 x w mung", 2,066,239 12/1936 Tansler..46/140 1,371,528 3/1921 Van Kannel... .....272/37 [73] Assignee:Topper Corporation 2,942,378 6/1960 Ellis ..46/ 122 X [22] Flled: 1970Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [2]] Appl. No.2 85,847 AssistantExaminer-Richard Carter R I mu 8 A u ti D ta Attorney-Breitenfeld&Levinee a pp ca on a [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 55,909, July 17,

1970. 7] ABSTRACT A mechanism including a support and two elementscarried by [52] US. Cl ..40/ 06.36, 46/1492, the Support for g g g the gofa do". The pp carries Int Cl G09 19mg a pivotable arm, and slots inthe support and arm cross each 158] neidol'li'lll'""'11111111126363?"68134 106.31 other A P to each element passes through both 0 0 3. 27237 31 P. 4 7 SlOIS, and the arm oscillates with respect to the supportby en- 138, gaging stationary abutments along the path of travel of thesupport. An upwardly concave guide surface on the support I 56]Reierences Cited causes the elements to move along an arcuate path.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1,615,663 l/l927 Varga..46/140 rmmsnmzmn 3.672.082

mvEN'roRs:

ATTORNEYS WALKING MECHANISM FOR A DOLL This application is acontinuation in part of copending application Ser. No. 55,909, filedJuly 17, 1970.

This invention relates to a walking mechanism for a doll, and moreparticularly to such a mechanism located outside the doll and upon whichthe doll is mounted.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism by means ofwhich a doll, having no self-contained mechanism for causing it tosimulate walking, may nevertheless be animated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism which needonly be provided with translational movement in order for it to cause adoll mounted on it to appear to walk.

It is another object of the invention to provide a walking mechanism foruse with a doll having legs pivoted to its body, the mechanism engagingthe dolls feet and moving the feet along an arcuate path.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description in which reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy including a walkin mechanismaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top view, with parts broken away, of the portionof the toy incorporating the walking mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the doll support;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 4- 4 of FIG.2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the disks forming the dollsupport;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the other disk forming the doll support,this disk being shown upside down with respect to its position when inuse; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a doll engaging element.

The toy chosen to illustrate this invention is a simulated fashion showin which dolls model miniature clothing.

The dolls are of the type in which each leg 92 is pivotally secured tothe body of the doll.

The toy includes a housing, indicated generally by the reference numeral10 in FIG. 1, having an external wall 11 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 4) ofgenerally frusto-conical shape. At its upper edge, housing wall 11 isjoined by a relatively narrow horizontal annular top wall 12. Extendingdownwardly from the inner edge of top wall 12 is an inner wall 13 (FIGS.2 and 4) surrounding a circular cavity in the top of housing 10. Thelower edge of inner wall 13 meets a bottom wall 14 of the cavity. Bottomwall 14 may carry a motor, batteries, and transmission means (all notshown) for rotating a stage.

The rotatable stage means includes a flat circular platform 21, having adepending peripheral lip 22 (FIGS. 1, 4, and 5; in FIG. 2 the platformhas been removed), 'loosely accommodated within the circular cavity inthe top of housing 10.

Platform 21 is supported on a stage base 23 (FIGS. 2-5) com-- prising anelongated plate, having a depending peripheral lip, extending across adiameter of the cavity in the top of housing 10. In FIGS. 2-4, only oneend of base 23 is shown. Suitable means (not shown) are provided tocause platform 21 to rotate with base 23.

A doll support and walking mechanism 65 is carried at each end of stagebase 23. The two supports and walking mechanisms 65 are identical, andhence only one is shown and will be described. Each doll supportcomprises a pair of upper and lower disks 74 and 75, respectively, heldtogether by screws 76, which pass through holes 70 in bottom disk 75 andare threaded into posts 71 of upper disk 74. The disks are rotatablewith respect to base 23, and engage each other through a hole 77 (FIGS.4 and 5) in the base. Upper disk 74 slidably rests on the edge of hole77, and projects upwardly through an opening 78 in platform 21, so thatthe upper face of disk 74 is substantially flush with the upper face ofplatform 21. A stud 81 projects downwardly from upper disk 74,

through a hole 72 in lower disk 75, and fixed to the stud, by a screw82, is a horizontal arm 84 carrying a follower pin 83 at each end. Arm84 is fixed to disks 74 and 75, via stud 81 and screws 76, so thatrotation of arm 84 causes rotation of the disks. Pivotally supported onstud 81, above arm 84, is another arm 85, having a pair oflongitudinally aligned slots 88 and carrying a follower pin 89 at eachend.

Upper disk 74 is provided with two parallel slots 79, and lower disk 75is also provided with two parallel slots 80. Slots 79 and 80 are allparallel to one another, but slots 80 are spaced farther apart from eachother thanare slots 79. Since arm can pivot with respect to disks 75,its slots 88 can be positioned to cross slots 80, as best seen in FIG.3. Adjacent to each slot 80 in lower disk 75 is a ridge 66 (FIGS. 4-6)the upper edge 67 of which defines an upwardly concave guide surface.Similarly, adjacent to each slot 79 in upper disk 74 is a ridge 68(FIGS. 4, 5, and 7) the lower edge 69 of which also defines an upwardlyconcave guide surface, i.e., a downwardly convex guide surface.

Two doll engaging elements 64 (FIGS. 4, 5, and 8) are carried by eachdoll support 65. Each element includes a dished horizontal central part90, substantially conforming in curvature to the curvature of guidesurfaces 67 and 69, from which an element 91 for engaging a dolls legprojects upwardly through one of the slots 79 in upper disk 74. In thepresent example, the element 91 fits frictionally into a bore extendinglongitudinally from the foot into each doll leg 92 as indicated in FIGS.4 and 5. Thus, by pushing the legs of a doll on to the elements 91, thedoll can be supported upright on toy support 65.

A pin 93 projects downwardly from each central part 90, through a slot80 in lower disk 75 and a slot 88 in arm 85. It will be appreciated,upon inspection of FIG. 3 that pivotal movement of arm 85 in onedirection will cause one of the pins 93 to move in one direction alongits respective slot 80 and simultaneously will cause the other pin 93 tomove in the opposite direction along its respective slot 80. Pivotalmovement of arm 85 in the other direction will cause the reverse effect.Thus, by oscillating arm 85, pins 93 and hence the two elements 91 aremoved back and forth in opposite directions, whereupon the doll legs 92are similarly moved with the result that the doll simulates walking.

As may be seen best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the central part of each element64 is slidably arranged between a ridge 66 and a ridge 68, the tworidges being laterally spaced apart so as to stabilize element 64against lateral tilting. Due to the curvature of guide surfaces 67 and69, of ridges 66 and 68, respectively, along which the central part 90of element 64 slides each element 64 moves along an arcuate path havinga center of curvature located above doll support 65, in response tooscillation of arm 85. Theoretically, the center of curvature shouldcoincide with the axis about which each doll leg 92 pivots with respectto the doll body. However, as a practical matter precise coincidence isnot necessary, as long as the center of curvature of the path followedby each element 64 is close enough to the pivot axis of the doll legs 92to prevent elements 91 from slipping out of the bores in the bottoms ofthe doll legs. It has been found that if guide surfaces 67 and 69 arestraight so that elements 64 move along horizontal paths, instead ofcurved paths, elements 91 have a tendency to be pried out of the boresin legs 92.

Formed in the housing bottom wall 14 is a circular guide groove 96(FIGS. 2 and 4) slidably accommodating follower pins 83 depending fromeach doll support. Bottom wall 14 has stationary abutments 97 and 98(FIG. 2), constituting the means for oscillating arm 85 abutments 97being on the inside of the groove and abutments 98 being on the outside.The abutments on each side are spaced apart, and staggered with respectto the abutments on the opposite side of the groove. Abutments 97 and 98are in the path of movement of followers 89 carried by arm 85 as stagebase 23 rotates. Thus,

abutment 98, as shown in FIG. 2, causingarm 85 to pivot in acounterclockwise direction. After some additional movement of base 23,the follower 89 just mentioned leaves the abutment 98 just mentioned,and the other follower 89 of arm 85 engages an abutment 97, therebycausing arm 85 to pivot in a clockwise direction. In this way, arm 85 iscaused to oscillate, producing the simulated walking of the dollmentioned above. Location of followers 83 in the guide groove preventsrotation of disks 74 and 75 during oscillation of arm 85.

It will be seen, therefore, that simply by giving the doll support andwalking mechanism 65 translational movement, a doll mounted on thesupport will appear to walk along the path through which the dollsupport is moved. In the present example, translational movement isalong a circular path. However, the path may be straight, or of anyother shape.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred fonn only, andby way of example, and many variations may be made in the inventionwhich will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood,therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form orembodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A walking mechanism for a doll, comprising a. a support,

b. a pair of elements for engaging the legs of a doll, said elementsbeing carried by said support and movable with respect thereto, saidelements being movable along substantially parallel paths,

c. means carried by said support for moving each of said elements in twoopposite directions with respect to said support, and for moving each ofsaid elements in a direction opposite to the direction of movement ofthe other, and

. at least one upwardly concave guide surface for each of said elementsfor causing the latter to move along an arcuate path having a center ofcurvature located above said support.

2. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 1 including means for movingsaid support along a predetermined path, and stationary means along saidpath for cooperating with said means (c) to move said elements.

3. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said stationarymeans include abutments spaced apart along the length of said path, eachtwo successive abutments being on opposite sides of path, and said means(c) includes a pivotable arm, said elements moving in response topivotal movement of said arm, and said arm being oscillated bysuccessive engagements with said abutments as said support moves alongsaid path.

4. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said support isrotatable with respect to said means for moving said support along apredetermined path, and including a follower depending from said toysupport, said follower being nonrotatably connected to said toy support,and a stationary guide means along the path of travel of said toysupport as said stage means rotates, said guide means slidably andnon-rotatably accommodating said follower to prevent rotation of saidtoy support as a result of the engagement between said animating meansand said stationary means.

5. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said supportincludes at least one slot, said means (c) includes an arm pivoted tosaid support at a point spaced from said slot, said arm having a slotcrossing the slot in said support, and a pin connected to each of saidelements, said pin projecting through said slots and being slidabletherein, swinging movement of said arm causing said pin to move alongthe lengths of both slots to thereby move its respective element.

6. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 5 including means for movingsaid support along a predetermined path, stationary abutments spacedapart along the length of said path, each two successive abutments beingon opposite sides of said path, and said arm being oscillated bysuccessive engagements with said abutments as said support moves alongsaid path.

7. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said supportincludes upwardly and downwardly projecting ridges, the upper edge ofsaid upwardly projecting ridge and the lower edge of said downwardlyprojecting ridge being spaced apart and each said edge defining one ofsaid upwardly concave guide surfaces, and a member carrying each of saidelements, said members being slidable between said upper and lower ridgeedges.

8. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 7 wherein said ridges arespaced apart laterally.

9. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 7 including a first openingalong one side of said downwardly projecting ridge, a second openingalong the opposite side of said upwardly projecting ridge, one of saidelements projecting through said first opening, a pin carried by saidmember projecting through said second opening, and means engaging saidpin for sliding said member and hence said element along said ridgeedges.

10. A walking mechanism for a doll, comprising a. a support,

b. a pair of elements for engaging the legs of a doll, said elementsbeing carried by said support and movable with respect thereto, saidelements being movable along substantially parallel paths,

c. means for moving said support along a predetermined path,

d. abutments spaced apart along the length of said path, each twosuccessive abutments being on opposite sides of said path, and

e. an arm pivoted to said support and adapted to engage said abutments,said elements moving in response to pivotal movement of said am, andsaid arm being oscillated by successive engagements with said abutmentsas said support moves along said path.

11. A walking mechanisem as defined in claim 10 wherein said supportincludes at least one slot, said arm being pivoted to said support at apoint spaced from said slot, said arm having a slot crossing the slot insaid support, and a pin connected to each of said elements, said pinprojecting through said slots and being slidable therein, swingingmovement of said arm causing said pin to move along the lengths of bothslots to thereby move its respective element.

1. A walking mechanism for a doll, comprising a. a support, b. a pair ofelements for engaging the legs of a doll, said elements being carried bysaid support and movable with respect thereto, said elements beingmovable along substantially parallel paths, c. means carried by saidsupport for moving each of said elements in two opposite directions withrespect to said support, and for moving each of said elements in adirection opposite to the direction of movement of the other, and d. atleast one upwardly concave guide surface for each of said elements forcausing the latter to move along an arcuate path having a center ofcurvature located above said support.
 2. A walking mechanism as definedin claim 1 including means for moving said support along a predeterminedpath, and stationary means along said path for cooperating with saidmeans (c) to move said elements.
 3. A walking mechanism as defined inclaim 2 wherein said stationary means include abutments spaced apartalong the length of said path, each two successive abutments being onopposite sides of path, and said means (c) includes a pivotable arm,said elements moving in response to pivotal movement of said arm, Andsaid arm being oscillated by successive engagements with said abutmentsas said support moves along said path.
 4. A walking mechanism as definedin claim 2 wherein said support is rotatable with respect to said meansfor moving said support along a predetermined path, and including afollower depending from said toy support, said follower beingnon-rotatably connected to said toy support, and a stationary guidemeans along the path of travel of said toy support as said stage meansrotates, said guide means slidably and non-rotatably accommodating saidfollower to prevent rotation of said toy support as a result of theengagement between said animating means and said stationary means.
 5. Awalking mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said support includes atleast one slot, said means (c) includes an arm pivoted to said supportat a point spaced from said slot, said arm having a slot crossing theslot in said support, and a pin connected to each of said elements, saidpin projecting through said slots and being slidable therein, swingingmovement of said arm causing said pin to move along the lengths of bothslots to thereby move its respective element.
 6. A walking mechanism asdefined in claim 5 including means for moving said support along apredetermined path, stationary abutments spaced apart along the lengthof said path, each two successive abutments being on opposite sides ofsaid path, and said arm being oscillated by successive engagements withsaid abutments as said support moves along said path.
 7. A walkingmechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said support includes upwardlyand downwardly projecting ridges, the upper edge of said upwardlyprojecting ridge and the lower edge of said downwardly projecting ridgebeing spaced apart and each said edge defining one of said upwardlyconcave guide surfaces, and a member carrying each of said elements,said members being slidable between said upper and lower ridge edges. 8.A walking mechanism as defined in claim 7 wherein said ridges are spacedapart laterally.
 9. A walking mechanism as defined in claim 7 includinga first opening along one side of said downwardly projecting ridge, asecond opening along the opposite side of said upwardly projectingridge, one of said elements projecting through said first opening, a pincarried by said member projecting through said second opening, and meansengaging said pin for sliding said member and hence said element alongsaid ridge edges.
 10. A walking mechanism for a doll, comprising a. asupport, b. a pair of elements for engaging the legs of a doll, saidelements being carried by said support and movable with respect thereto,said elements being movable along substantially parallel paths, c. meansfor moving said support along a predetermined path, d. abutments spacedapart along the length of said path, each two successive abutments beingon opposite sides of said path, and e. an arm pivoted to said supportand adapted to engage said abutments, said elements moving in responseto pivotal movement of said arm, and said arm being oscillated bysuccessive engagements with said abutments as said support moves alongsaid path.
 11. A walking mechanisem as defined in claim 10 wherein saidsupport includes at least one slot, said arm being pivoted to saidsupport at a point spaced from said slot, said arm having a slotcrossing the slot in said support, and a pin connected to each of saidelements, said pin projecting through said slots and being slidabletherein, swinging movement of said arm causing said pin to move alongthe lengths of both slots to thereby move its respective element.